payphone for gameroom...

[Ken Layton]

Does anyone know how to pick or drill a lock on a Western Electric / AT&T phone?

Michael

You tube has some videos posted on this. Check under payphone lock and Medeco payphone lock.

[zudmsc]

Ok I drilled out the center of the lock, but this thing still will not open.  Anyone have any ideas?  I am planning on getting a new lock, so I dont mind the destruction.  I still want to keep the housing in tack.  I have about a 3/8" hole, but the locking device is still working, how do i get it to disengage?

Michael

[Ken Layton]

Which lock? There are four locks on a payphone: two for the coin vault and two for the upper housing (where the dial and circuit boards are).

[zudmsc]

The vault door I got open with a screw driver.  There was no second lock on the valut.  The upper housing I drilled the ky lock and I still need a T-key for the other part.  It was the upper keyed lock I drilled and still cant get open.  I need to find or make a T-key too.

Michael

[Ken Layton]

Here's a video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy_ITXmk47Q&feature=related

Sometimes you can pound a large straight slot screwdriver into the key lock and force turn it with vise grips clamped onto the screwdriver shaft.

Remember that with payphone locks you open the keylock first which frees the rest of the locking mechanism to allow the T-key to finish unlatching everything. T-keys are available at the vendors (like www.payphone.com) I listed in the early part of this thread.

[Level42]

So how much do these thing weigh ? 20-25 Kg ?

[zudmsc]

Ken,

I watched the video, but my lock is already drilled but still latched.  I cannot get the internal mech to disengage the lock.  Now I have been trying to rip it out with needle nose pliers.  The damn thing is built like Fort Knocks.  Anyone have any ideas on how to destro the rest of it so i can get the mech to unlock?

Michael

[Ken Layton]

So how much do these thing weigh ? 20-25 Kg ?

They weigh 45 to 50 pounds depending on the particular circuit board, keypad, and coin acceptor assembly installed.

[Ken Layton]

Ken,

I watched the video, but my lock is already drilled but still latched.  I cannot get the internal mech to disengage the lock.  Now I have been trying to rip it out with needle nose pliers.  The damn thing is built like Fort Knocks.  Anyone have any ideas on how to destro the rest of it so i can get the mech to unlock?

Michael

Hole saw for metal, sized slightly less than the diameter of the lock.

[Ken Layton]

In indoor applications, payphones mount to a "backboard". You mount the backboard to the wall, then the payphone mounts to the backboard.

[MaximRecoil]

In indoor applications, payphones mount to a "backboard". You mount the backboard to the wall, then the payphone mounts to the backboard.

I've seen plastic ("composite") payphone backboards for cheap online. Do you have any experience with those? I was wondering if they are any good. And also, are the backboards all the same pattern? For example, would an Intellicall mount to a Western Electric backboard?

[sarge]

I know western (coin return on left) and GTE (coin return on right) style cases will both mount to this style mounting bracket (assuming you are not using an enclosure).

http://www.payphone.com/shop/customer/product.php?productid=16225&cat=267&page=1

The back of your payphone should have at least one (preferably two) of these brass mounting studs that hold the payphine to the bracket while you screw a few screws to it.

http://www.payphone.com/shop/customer/product.php?productid=16297

[Ken Layton]

Most Intellicall phones should mount to conventional payphone mounts and enclosures. Payphone backboards have a billion holes already in them so chances are that at least ten holes will line up with any coin phone.

I suppose the plastic/fiberglass backboards would be ok in a home application, but I would never use them in commercial applications. The plastic/fiberglass backboards were very easy to vandalize and they had a tendancy to warp which in turn knocked the payphone out of level front-to back which in turn caused coin jams.

[zudmsc]

Ok I finally got the beast open.   I cleaned it out and hooked up the phone line.  I did a test and I can dial out and I can receive calls.  I have just a few more questions:
1) Can I change the volume of the ringer?  I want it louder!
2) Can I change the volume of the handset?  This model doesnt have the volume on the base, but the other I have does.
3) Can I still set this up to take coins?  All the equipment is still in the phone including the relay.

Michael

[Ken Layton]

Ok I finally got the beast open.   I cleaned it out and hooked up the phone line.  I did a test and I can dial out and I can receive calls.  I have just a few more questions:
1) Can I change the volume of the ringer?  I want it louder!
2) Can I change the volume of the handset?  This model doesnt have the volume on the base, but the other I have does.
3) Can I still set this up to take coins?  All the equipment is still in the phone including the relay.

Michael

Pictures please!

[zudmsc]

I dont know how to post pics here, so I sent 3 to your PM.

Michael

[Ken Layton]

Ok I finally got the beast open.   I cleaned it out and hooked up the phone line.  I did a test and I can dial out and I can receive calls.  I have just a few more questions:
1) Can I change the volume of the ringer?  I want it louder!
2) Can I change the volume of the handset?  This model doesnt have the volume on the base, but the other I have does.
3) Can I still set this up to take coins?  All the equipment is still in the phone including the relay.

Michael

#1 Yes indeed! The rear brass gong has a cast aluminum ring around it with serrations. Turn that ring (it has click stops) one way or the other to adjust loudness. What it does is move the gong closer to (quieter) or farther away (louder) from the clapper. The gong has an eccentric hole in it. This is exactly the same ringer/gong unit used in Western Electric home telephones.

#2 Only by ordering a "volume control kit" for Western Electric "dumb" chassis. I think yours is a model 32-C (should be stamped in red ink somewhere on the circuit board frame near the connectors for the upper housing. Kit sells for around $30 I think.

#3 NO NO NO. Even though all the coin handling equipment is present in your phone, you need a telephone company "coin line" service to make the coin relay collect or return any coins deposited. Otherwise any coins you put in simply fall into the relay hopper and just sit there until it jams knocking the phone out of service. Coin phone line service is only available to Bell Telephone company owned and operated payphones not to homes or businesses. If you really wanted it to operate on coins then you'd have to shell out some money and convert it into a "smart" phone. This would involve buying a "smart" circuit board made by one of the big 4 private payphone manufacturers (Intellicall, Protel, Elcotel/Quortech, or Ernest Telecom), a keypad/hookswitch assembly configured to work with the brand and model of circuit board selected, a new coin relay/hopper assembly configured to work with the brand and model of circuit board selected. This could be very costly.

[zudmsc]

Thank you Ken!

I will change the ringer.  I wont get the volume kit as the other phone I have has one on it already, so I will keep that phone for myself.  Too bad about the coin line.  I was hoping a software program could be used, I am not about to spend more money to change it to a smart phone.

Michael

[richms]

What is different about a coin line? Can you get asterisk to emulate one for an attached coinphone?

[sarge]

A PPO line or coin line is provided by the telephone company for use of dumb or bright payphones.  It basically uses a coin card at the network switch to:
1) Register coin pulses sent by the payphone.
2) Determine the coin pulses are of a sufficient amount to place the call (although,        generally now, phones on a PPO line will only allow you to place a local call using coins).
3) Send a collect or refund signal to the payphone based on whether the connection was completed or not.

[montanamaxus1]

Hey Ken I got a question for you.....

I recently acquired a bell system phone redone for home use.  It came with the mounting bracket, key, and other stuff.  I plugged it into my phone jack and got a dial tone, heard the noise when i push the buttons, and makes calls.  For some reason, the bells inside don't work at all when i get a call!  I found a guy locally who's worked for the phone company repairing pay phones and home lines, and had him look at it.  Within a couple minutes and barley doing anything, he tested it and it rang!  When I got it back home, I tried it, and no bells ringing on a recieved call!  Is there something i'm missing?  I live in a home close to 100 y/old and has a seperate box with brass ringers in the kitchen.

[Ken Layton]

Probably too many ringers on the line. Or that old brass ringer box is drawing too much line current.

[montanamaxus1]

That is what i'm thinking.  I did try to plug it into the jack that's connected to that old ringer box in the kitchen.  The bells in the box somewhat rang but not the payphone.

[Ken Layton]

Temporarily disconnect all other ringers in your house and then try just the payphone's ringer. It should work. In the old days many people only had one ringer and those old units drew alot of current.

Now it could be very possible that the particular payphone you have may have the wrong frequency ringer installed.

[ahofle]

Is anyone soon coming to Europe and willing to carry one of those payphones as hand-luggage  Wink Wink

I want one too, but can't think of a good place to have it in my house.   

I don't know what it is about payphones and the phone system in general from that era that is so fascinating to me. 

On a gaming-related note, didn't the Atari 2600 get its name from the 2600 Hz signal used on certain payphones?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2600_hertz

[montanamaxus1]

I just did that.  I disconnected all the other phones in the house, and connected the payphone to the phone jack in the kitchen.  The one that has the old box ringer.  The box rings, but not the payphone.  I have five phones in the house.

[ZeroQuest]

Hey guys, I just acquired 7 brand new (boxed) payphones (on auction) complete with keys, overlays, etc. I was going to list them on ebay, but if you guys wanted first crack at them, by all means let me know.

They are completely black phones (coin door is matte black), internal coin holder is also black. As stated above, they are BRAND NEW in their original box.

I also happened upon 25 8-liners that I will likely be parting out as most are missing motherboards.

They appear identical to this:

http://www.payphone.com/shop/catalog/Elcotel_Series5_XG-p-16228.html

But with a matte black coin door.

[GAJoe]

ha, I had one of those 500's as the house phone when I was a wee lad...in the late 80's. I bet I am one of the few of my generation to use a rotary phone that late. IIRC, it was '93 or so before we got a touchtone phone - and even then it was a pulse dial. Definitely made it suck when I tried to call in to win those radio contests.

That thing was built like a tank, and was my favorite toy. I loved dialing it. It just had a "heft" to the dialing mechanism that wasn't the same on my fishcer price phone. I would hold the receiver button down and dial away.

I'm right there with you.  We had a black rotary in the basement and a gaudy yellow rotary upstairs well into the mid-90s.  The first pushbutton phone in the house was one my sister bought for herself in 1993.

[Ken Layton]

There is now a couple of different sellers on ebay who are selling electronic control boxes to make the old 3 slot payphones coin operated again. They operate just like they did originally. Refunds coins if no answer/number disconnected and collects coins when call answered.

Here are a couple of the auctions:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Coin-Controller-for-Three-Slot-Payphone-or-Coin-Phone_W0QQitemZ110450930745QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item19b7637439

http://cgi.ebay.com/A-Coin-Controller-For-Your-Antique-3-Slot-Payphone_W0QQitemZ300361465530QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item45eef03eba

[Ummon]

....<whistles>....lotta money.....

[HarumaN]

Hey guys, I just acquired 7 brand new (boxed) payphones (on auction) complete with keys, overlays, etc. I was going to list them on ebay, but if you guys wanted first crack at them, by all means let me know.

How much?

[Hoopz]

Hey guys, I just acquired 7 brand new (boxed) payphones (on auction) complete with keys, overlays, etc. I was going to list them on ebay, but if you guys wanted first crack at them, by all means let me know.

How much?

That post is from May 2008 and ZeroQuest hasn't logged in since Nov 2008.  He probably isn't going to see your question.   

[HarumaN]

Ahh...  I see...  Ken necro'd a 1.5 year old thread...   

[StephenH]

3) Can I still set this up to take coins?  All the equipment is still in the phone including the relay.

It might be possible to do this, actually.    However, it would require some experience with electronics to do this!    First you would have to know the voltage of the relay, the number of states it has controlling the coinbox and coin inserts and the pinout for it.   Next you would have to set up some kind of audio regonition or switch regonition when a nickel, dime, or coin is deposited and connect that to a PC.    Then, you would then need to connect the dial to the device (or make the input regonize audio touch-tones when initially dialed and delay them from going on the real phone line.     Based on the number one dials, you could then feed an audio signal into the handset speaker to tell the user "Please deposit X dollars and Y cents for Z minutes".    Then, you could then read the coin inputs to make sure that is deposited and then connect the handset to the phone line, make it dial the number, listen for a connection and start the timer.    The coin relay should then make the coins go into the slot after the call is connected, or when the person hangs up or just before needing to deposit additional coins.   

When the timer gets low, the system should play an audio message to "Please deposit X dollars and Y cents for an additional Z minutes"  Then, it should open the relay for depositing again and acccept the additional coins.   Give the user 20 seconds or so to deposit the coins, and if deposited extend the timer, and if the 20 seconds up, disconnect the line. 

It seems like that what you would need to do this is:

* Decoder for phone # touch-tones
* Touch tone dialer tones
* Pre-recorded audio of coin deposit instructions
* Audio mixer that supports phone line audio and computer audio
* Audio of "Please deposit" tones [Some Available from http://www.thisisarecording.com/pay_phone_deposit_required.html ]
* Interface for the coin relay voltage and amperage that can be controlled by a PC
* Interface for thethe coin mechanism to distinguish coins

This would take a fair amount of work to write the programming for this, but I think it could be done.

[Ken Layton]

Beautiful indoor payphone booth is on Olympia, Washington craigslist:

http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/clt/1468479340.html

[Ken Layton]

And yet another beautiful phone booth on Seattle craigslist:

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/clt/1469553976.html